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3,191,246 Dm CASTING APPARATUS Harry E. Poueli, Logansport, Ind,assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-sixth to George A.Gust and one-sixth to Robert G. Irish, both of Fort Wayne, End,

and one-third to Mary M. Fouch, Kokomo, Ind.

Filed June 9, I961, Ser. No. 116,124) 21 tllairss. (Cl. 22-65) Thepresent invention relates to an improved die casting apparatus formanufacturing wheel balance weights and the like.

Wheel balance weights as attached to the rims of automobile wheelsconventionally consist of two parts, namely, a U-shaped clip fabricatedof strip steel stock and a lead body having imbedded therein one leg ofthe clip. These balance weights have been manufactured for many years bymeans of equipment operated under different degrees of automation;however, to the best of my knowledge and belief, no prior art machinehas successfully, for mass production purposes, manufactured wheelbalance weights by apparatus which are operated completelyautomatically.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide die castingapparatus for manufacturing wheel balance weights and the like which maybe operated automatically for providing a finished balance weight freeof hash and reside sprue and ready for attachment to the rim of anautomobile wheel.

It is another object of this invention to provide mechanism wherebyU-shaped clips may be fed to a die automatically in operations which aresequential and do not require manual attendance.

It is another object of this invention to provide die casting apparatuswherein the sprue developed in casting a wheel balance weight may beautomatically sheared from the finished weight in such a manner as torequire no further finishing before the weight is applied to a wheel orthe like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a uniquearrangement of casting molds which may be operated in such a manner asto provide a single die cavity during the casting of a wheel balanceweight and thereafter be separated in order to eject mechanically thefinished weight from the mold. Additionally, it is an object to providemeans for closing the mold as a first step, feeding a U-shaped clip tothe mold prior to injection of molten metal thereinto, injecting moltenmetal into the die cavity, thereafter opening the mold, shearing thesprue off the finished weight, and then ejecting the weight from theapparatus in finished form. As a further object, automatic means areprovided for effecting all of these operations in rapid sequence.

As a still further object of this invention, numerous, uniquesubcombinations and assemblies are provided which may be used in diecasting apparatus which is operable either fully automatically orsemiautomatically.

Further objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention andthe manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the inventionitself will be best understood by reference to the following descriptionof an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a typical, conventional wheelbalance weight;

FIG. 2 is a sectional illustration taken substantially along sectionline 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective illustration, partially broken away andsectioned for clarity, of an embodiment of the present invention;

United States Patent FIG. 4 is a front perspective illustration of theembodiment of FIG. 3, also partially broken away and sectioned forclarity of illustration;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4, partiallysectioned and broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view partially sectioned and broken away of thevarious mold sections which are operable to provide a die cavity;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the rear mold sections of FIG. 6 and thesliding support therefor;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the subassembly of FIG. 7 taken substantiallyalong the section line 38;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the mold sections and mounting apparatusshown partly sectioned horizontally to reveal cooling water cavities;

FiG. 10 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection line iii-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection 1I11 of FIG. 9 and showing the water passage for cooling themovable die member;

P16. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the movable die sections, thecarrier therefor, cam-actuating devices and a portion of the mechanismfor feeding clips to the die sections, this figure being somewhatenlarged to show various elements more clearly;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially along thesection line 1313 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection line 1414 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection line 15-15 of FIG. 12, this figure illustrating one of theoperative positions of the crossslide;

FIG. 16 is a sectional illustration taken substantially long the sectionline 16-16 of Fid- 12 partially broken away for clarity of illustrationand showing the means for feeding a U-shaped clip to the die cavity, themechanism being shown in actuated position whereby a clip is being fedto the die cavity and molten lead is also being injected into thecavity;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 16 but showingthe position of the various parts just prior to the injection of moltenlead into the die cavity;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGS. 16 and 17 but showing theclip-plunger retracted and the sprucshearing device partially actuated;

FIG. 19 is a sectional illustration similar to FIG. 18 showing theclip-plunger retracted and the sprue-shearing device fully actuated tosever the sprue and also to eject the finished balance weight from theapparatus;

FIGS. 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d are diagrammatic illustrations of thecross-slide mechanism which cooperates with the clip plunger to feedclips to the die cavity, these various views showing the mechanism indifferent operative positions;

FIG. 20a is a side view of the mechanism of FIGS. 20a through 20dinclusive illustrating certain of the camming means used in operatingthe cross-slide;

FIG. 21 is a perspective illustration partially broken away andsectioned of a portion of the clip-feeding mechanism;

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection line 22--22 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substantially alongsection line 2 323 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the horizontal and inclined feed-rails,partially broken away and sectioned, of the mechanism of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional illustration taken substan tially alongsection line 25--25 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26-is a partial, front perspective view of the apparatus showingthe clip-feeding assembly coupled to the die-casting mechanism;

FIG. 27 is a front view of the clip-plunger assembly assembled to thedistal, feeding end of the mechanism of FIG. 21; N p a FIG. 28 is apartial top plan view of the detent device used .in the clip-feedingmechanism of FIG. 21, this detent device being used for feeding U-shapedclips in unison with protractile rail movement; I 7,

FIG. 29 is a partial side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 28showing the back stop which is engaged by the clips during retractilemovement of the horizontal,

clip-conveying rail; 7 7

FIG. 30 is a side elevation of the inclined feed rail which forms aportion of a clip-feeding mechanism partially shown in FIG. 21; g V aFIG. 30a is a fragmentary side elevation ofthe inclined feed rail ofFIG. 30 showing the clip-derailing device;

FIG. 30b is a top view of FIG. 30a; V FIG., 31 is a cross-sectionalillustration taken substantially along section line 3131 of FIG. 30;-

FIG. 32 is .a sectional illustration taken substantially 'alqngsectionline 32-32 of FIG. 30;

FIG. 33 is a rear .side view of the assembly of FIG. 30;

FIG 34 is a perspective illustration of the vibrating mechanism whichfeeds automatically clips to the inclined rail of FIG 30;

FIG. 35 is a side elevation shown partially in crosssection taken alongthe section line 3535 of FIG. 34;-

FIG. 36 is a horizontal section taken substantially along section line36-36 of FIG. 35; a FIG. 37 is a side view of the barrel cam; I

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along section line38-38 of FIG. 37; v

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along section line39-3 9 of FIG. 37

'FIG. 40 is a diagrammatic development of the periphery of the barrelcam of FIG. 37 showing the relative'arrangement of the various camgrooves;

FIG. 41 is a diagrammatic planar development of the camming groove inthe end of the barrel cam of FIG. 37 showing the relationship of thiscamming groove with the various grooves in the view of FIG. 40; and

FIG. 42 is a diagrammatic illustration of the entire apparatus of thisinvention with certain parts being removed and sectioned for clarity ofillustration.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, awheel balance weight of the type fabricated by the apparatus of thisinvention is conventional and comprises a U-shaped clip 56 fabricated ofsheet or strip steel stock having one leg imbedded in, an arcua-telyshaped lead body 51. The apparatus of thisinvention not only molds thelead body 51 but also positions the clip 50 properly so that the leadbody can be molded around the one clip leg. The apparatus as hereinafterdescribed is particularly suited for fabricating this wheel balanceweight automatically. a p

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 42, the apparatus is shown ascomprising a stationary frame or support 52 having two upstanding sides54 which are spaced apart I and par-alleles shown more clearly in FIG.8. On the upper edges of these two plates 54 are mounteda pair ofinwardly facing gib rails 56 which have slidably mountedfor-reciprocation thereon a plate or carrier 58 (FIGS. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10,11, 12 and 42.)

Mounted on and extending between the stationary side plates 54 isanother stationary, flat plate 60 which is'se t at an angle of 45 withthe vertical so as to be inclined as shown in FIGS. 3, 6 .and 7. FIG. 8shows a rear view of this plate. Referring more specifically to FIGS. 6and 7, this plate 60' has mounted on the upper, horizontal end 4, catedby the reference numeral 68 which provides an elongated exposed corner70 which, as will be described hereinafter, serves as a gib or way onwhich rear mold sections 72 and 74 slide.

These rear mold sections 72 and 74, shown more clearly in FIGS. 6, 7,9,12 and 16, constitute halves of a single each'of the grooves 76fitting over the corner 70 provided by the gib block 64. A bar 78 boltedto the inclined plate 60 extends along the upper surface 66 of thelatter parallel with the corner 70 and is engaged by the lower. edges 80of the two mold sections 72 and 74 as shown more clearly in FIGS. 6 and7. The combination of the bar 78 and the. corner 70 forms a way in whichthe two mold sections 72 and 74 may -be .reciprocated alternatively intoand out of engagement with each other.

'The facing ends 82 and 84 of the mold sections 72 and '74,respectively, (FIGS. 6 and 1 2), are machined perfectly fiat andcomplementary so that when the two sections 72 and .74 are abutted atthe surfaces 82 and 84, a single,unitary die block having acavity-recess 86 is provided. The two mold sections 72 and 74 are ofuniform thickness and are provided in the facing ends 82 and 84 there-ofwith halves 88 (\FIG. 6) of a sprue hole. When the surfaces 82 and 84are abutted against each other, the two halves 8'8 register with eachother to form a single, elongated passage which communicates with thecavity recess 86. The sprue halves 88 are shown as forming a singlepassage in FIGS. 16 and 17 Straddling the surfaces 82 and'84 of the moldsections when the surfaces are abuttedis an upstanding lip 90 (FIG. 6)on each of the mold sections 72 and 74. These lips 90 constitute halvesof a clip-receiving portion of the mold sections when the latter areabutted, the cross-section of the lip sections 90 being shaped the sameas the inner cross-sectional contour of the clip as shown in FIGS. 1 and2. The configuration of this lip- 90 and the manner in which the clip 50fits thereover is shown more clearly inFIGS.16-,17,18 andl9.

These lips 90 are machined into the mold sections 72 V and 74, and whenabutted, the totallip length corresponds surface 62 a gib block 64 whichis elongated and which 7 extends forwardly over the upper inclinedsurface 66 of the inclined plate 60. This overhanging portion isindialmost precisely with thelength pfa single clip 50 (FIGS. 1. and 2).At theopposite ends of the joined lips, shoulders 91 extend transverselyand are spacedapart aclip length to receive therebetween a clip 50 withonly negligible clearance. It should be noted that the clip-receivingportion as constituted by the two lips is positioned in substantiallythe exact center of the moldsections 72 and 74 and immediately adjacentto the cavity recess 86 so'that a clip placed over the clip-receivingportion has one leg entered into the recess 86. This will be explainedmore fully later in the description.

The gib bloclg 64 immediately to the rear of the two mold sections 72and 74 is provided with a rectangular cut-out 92 (FIG. 6) for a purposewhich will be explained more fully in the following. This cut-out 92 has,a width equal tothe length of the clip-receiving portion 90 and a clip'50. 'Also,,the rear surface94 of the cut-out is slanted at an angle of45 in line with the surface 66 of the vin- .clinedplate60. Thisisbe.st;illustratcd in FIGS; 16,17,

. m a I On the opposite ends of thetwo mold sections 72 and 74 areprovided two rollers 96 and 98, respectively, (FIGS. 5 6, 8, 9 and 12),which fit'into two camming grooves 100 and 102 provided in the undersurface of thefcarriage plate 58. These grooves 100faand 102 areidentical in shape to each other but are oppo'sitelyshaped so as to 4move the mold sections 72 and .74. inwardly and outwardly,

respectively, in response to reciprocation of the carrier

1. DIE CASTING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A SUPPORT, A SINGLEDIE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A RECESS THEREIN, SAID DIE BEINGSUPPORT AND HAVING SECTIONS HAVING ABUTTING SURFACES , MEANS MOUNTINGSAID MOLD SECTIONS FOR MOVEMENT IN A FIRST RECTILINEAR DIRECTION TOWARDEACH OTHER TO ENGAGE SAID ABUTTING SURFACES AND THEN AWAY FROM EACHOTHER TO DISENGAGE SAID ABUTTING SURFACES, A SPRUE HOLE PASSING THROUGHSAID SINGLE DIE IN REGISTRY WITH SAID ABUTTING SURFACES WHEN ENGAGED,ONE PORTION OF SAID HOLE BEING IN ONE SURFACE AND THE OTHER PORTIONBEING IN THE OTHER SURFACE, ONE PORTION OF SAID RECESS BEING IN ONE MOLDSECTION AND THE OTHER PORTION THEREOF BEING IN THE OTHER MOLD SECTION, AMOVABLE DIE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTIONTRANSVERSE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION SELECTIVELY INTO AND OUT OFENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SINGLE DIE, SAID MOVABLE DIES HAVING A RECESSTHEREIN, SAID SINGLE AND MOVABLE DIES HAVING ENGAGEABLE SURFACES WHICHSURROUND A DIE CAVITY FORMED BY THE RECESSES THEREIN, A SPRUE-SHEARINGDEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A RECIPROCABLE SHEAR HEADTHEREON WHICH MOVES IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ABUTTING SURFACES WHENSAID MOLD SECTIONS ARE PARTED, MEANDS FOR MOVING SAID MOLD SECTIONS INTOENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER AND SAID MOVABLE DIE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID SINGLE DIE FORMED BY THE ENGAGED MOLD SECTIONS, INJECTION MEANS FORINJECTING MOLTEN METAL THROUGH SAID SPACE HOLE INTO SAID DIE CAVITY,MEANS FOR SEPARATING SAID MOLD SECTIONS AND MOVABLE DIE FROM EACH OTHERAFTER SAID METAL HAS HARDENED, SAIDS SHEAR HEAD HAVING SPRUE-CUTTINGMEANS MOVABLE TO A POSITION CONTIGUOUS WITH A PORTION OF THE WALL OFSAID CAVITY AND A PORTION OF SAID INJECTION MEANS, AND MEANS FORACTUATING SAID SPRUE-SHEARING DEVICE TO MOVE SAID SHEAR HEAD BETWEEN THESEPARATED ABUTTING SURFACES FOR SHEARING OFF THE SPRUE FORMED BY SAIDSPRUE HOLE.